Halifax County supervisors postpone vote on permit, field offer for trash truck

SoVaNow.com / August 07, 2014

Halifax County Supervisors on Monday night delayed taking action on a request for a conditional use permit which would allow Michael A. Allred to operate a plumbing and well drilling business in ED-6.

Supervisor Larry Giardano, who represents the district, asked that action on the request be delayed until the board’s September meeting in order to give Allred time to clean up the property, located at 2074 Old Cluster Springs Road, and bring it into compliance with conditions recommended by the Planning Commission which calls for the property “to be maintained in an orderly, neat and tidy appearance.”

Only Allred addressed the issue during the advertised public comment period.

Giardano pointed out that he had visited the site on three occasions and had found old vehicles, pieces of pipe and other trash lying around. Allred said he plans to clean the place up in the near future.

Supervisors scheduled two public hearings for their Sept. 2 monthly meeting. The first of those would focus on Halifax County approving an easement which would allow the US Army Corps of Engineers access to the rear of the Tuck Airport property. County Administrator Jim Halasz advised board members that he feels approval of the easement would benefit the county by limiting unauthorized use to the rear of the property.

The second scheduled public hearing focuses on the county transferring the ownership of the C.H. Friend field to South Boston. Halasz and recreation director Bill Shortt pointed out the county took ownership of the field after C. H. Friend Elementary School was closed The county has not since used the property, but South Boston Dixie Youth League uses the field for its regular season play and the South Boston Recreation Department uses it for its youth football program. South Boston has continued to pay for electricity and maintenance of the field, while the county has paid for insurance.

Supervisors approved the expenditure of an additional $15,600 sought by the Commission of Revenue’s office to fund the conversion of its VISION computer program since the conversions are needed to complete updates on personal property and real estate values. The office has been suffering from understaffing since three employees have been out of work for some time, leaving the current staff unable to complete all the revisions in a timely fashion.

The board also approved the revised Workforce Investment Consortium Agreement since the county, along with nine surrounding counties, forms the consortium which provides federal funds for workforce training (with the provision that changes made by County Attorney Jeremy Carroll be included in the revision.)

In other action supervisors approved a request from the Southside Planning District to award a contract to the Lynchburg firm of Hurt & Proffitt to use the remaining $100,000 VDOT grant for the Town of Halifax Streetscape project to design at least 10 more street lights and pedestrian safety improvements in the Town of Halifax.

Board members also will consider some changes to the County Code for Animal Control since that department continues to get a large volume of calls, often at night or week-ends, while working with limited personnel.

Halasz has suggested several changes which he asked board members to consider and recommend to him or members of the County Finance or Personnel Committees for approval at a later date.

Halasz also reported that Mecklenburg County had offered to lend Halifax County one of its trash collection trucks to help alleviate the loss of the County’s four trash collection trucks over the week-end. Halasz said the Mecklenburg truck was expected to be picked up on Wednesday, the same day that insurance adjustors were expected to examine the county’s losses.

He added that the county’s insurance with the Virginia Municipal League would cover the replacement cost of the newly purchased 2014 truck which was a total loss. However, insurance on the three older trucks would have to be based on their market value. The other trucks, two of which were 2001 models, the other a 2005 model, did not qualify for replacement value since the insurance company only pays for the replacement of vehicles which are less than five years old.

Supervisors also appointed Matt Leonard to serve on the Danville Community College advisory board to fill the seat being vacated by G.C. Ratliff who was ineligible for re-appointment .